Battersby to captain Double Blues

By ZAC MILBANK

New Sturt captain James Battersby has revealed it was a ”weird feeling” to hold onto the news of his appointment for 48 hours before it was made public.

The Double Blues’ 44th skipper was told of his exciting elevation by League coach Nathan Grima but was sworn to secrecy along with vice-captain Guy Page until the playing group was told in a presentation two days later.

Speaking on SANFL Radio, the 24-year-old said he was honoured to be handed the captaincy baton from dual premiership skipper Zane Kirkwood, who had been in charge since 2015.

A self-described ”larrikin” around the playing group, Battersby’s serious side clearly has struck a chord with his peers who voted him as the man to carry the Double Blues forward.

Not only can he tap into Kirkwood’s experience given the dual Magarey Medallist will again don the boots in 2020, he will also have fellow premiership players Guy Page, Matt Crocker, Sam Colquhoun and Tom Harms to lean on.

And then there is the new breed beginning to filter through into the leadership group, with midfielders Steven Slimming and Dean Gore representing the next generation at Oxford Terrace.